Works on Paper Conservation Assessment at the Portland Museum of Art (Maine)

A conservation assessment of 300 works on paper from the Portland Museum of Art’s collection that include works by artists who lived or worked in Maine as well as a piece by Edgar Degas and a group of German Expressionist prints. The collections are exhibited as well as made available for scholarly research. The proposed consultant would also help the museum update its policies on light exposure and storage.

The Portland Museum of Art will contract a paper conservator for a conservation survey of 300 of its most significant works on paper and update of the museum’s policy for exhibition of such works. This group of drawings, watercolors, pastels, and prints encompasses a wide variety of media, technique, and styles. Most works were made between the early 19th century and present day by American and European artists, particularly artists with strong ties to Maine, such as Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Robert Indiana, Yvonne Jacquette, Andrew Wyeth, and William Zorach. These works showcase the diversity of human creativity, provide insight into the cultural conditions of a historical moment, and inspire and educate audiences. A conservator will examine each piece and prepare a survey form, summarizing the current condition and proposing treatment. This survey will allow the PMA to prioritize conservation treatments as the museum prepares for a major reinstallation in 2016.